From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V4 #567 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk JMDL Digest Sunday, December 19 1999 Volume 04 : Number 567 The Official Joni Mitchell Homepage is maintained by Wally Breese at http://www.jonimitchell.com and contains the latest news, a detailed bio, original interviews and essays, lyrics, and much more. ------- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- A search for clarity. (Long!) [Richard Rice ] Re: Holiday films: Capote [JRMCo1@aol.com] Re: A mind is a terrible thing to waste [zapuppy2@webtv.net (Penny)] Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM [zapuppy2@webtv.net (Penny)] RE: Solstice Moon (NJC) ["Wally Kairuz" ] Re: Gestural Biomorphic Abstraction. [Richard Rice ] Joni companion - when, where etc.... [Dmascall@aol.com] Re: Cassandra Wilson (JC Now) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: A search for clarity. (Long!) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Grover Washington Jr. (NJC) [FMYFL@aol.com] Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM [Mark Domyancich ] Titanium White Turbulent Indigo [Siresorrow@aol.com] Re: the Joni Mitchell Companion NJC [CaTGirl627@aol.com] Re: Cassandra Wilson (NJC Now) [michael w yarbrough ] Re: They're Cutting Down Trees (NJC) [catman ] Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM (logistical problems) ["Kakki"] Re: Washed away by the waves at Malibu ["Kakki" ] Re: They're Cutting Down Trees (NJC) [CaTGirl627@aol.com] Who taught Joni guitar? [Randy Remote ] Re: 1000 [catman ] Re: JMDL Digest V4 #566 [Ginamu@aol.com] Re: Who taught Joni guitar? [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Cassandra Wilson (NJC Now) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] NJC: " RUN DEVIL RUN " update ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] 100% JC ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] Yet More Joni in the latest Rolling Stone [SCJoniGuy@aol.com (by way of L] Re: Yet More Joni in the latest Rolling Stone [Les Irvin ] calling all music sluts (njc) [evian ] Seasonal Films & Happy Christmas Jmdlers!! [john low ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 02:23:21 -0500 From: Richard Rice Subject: A search for clarity. (Long!) Merry Christmas everyone. The snow has finally fallen here, in time to set the perfect atmosphere to this season of rebirth. My thanks to all involved in these two wonderful internet sites! You have helped magnify and enrich my love of Joni and her art far beyond my wildest dreams. As an artist, I have especially enjoyed the recent run of mail regarding her painting. It was nice to see it take center stage given how important it is in Joni's life. Having a good long reflection on her paintings, alas only seen in reproduction, it is remarkable to me, how her paintings and music are fused with the same processes, attitudes, content, emotion, styles, and imagery. Sure, they are all done by the same hand, but it has only recently dawned on me, ever so slowly, on how 'revealing' her one art is of the other. Joni's painting style began with her 'Fanta-real' period; as she describes, very decorative, ornate and girlish. Most of her art in this period is linear. The line is sinuous and curving, creating stylized symbols of people, settings and imaginary landscapes rather than recording observation fact. It is as if she prefers the poetic space of suggestion and mood over the literal. What she dreams is fused with, and colors autobiographical images. Portraits of herself and friends are suggestively drawn and interwoven into imaginative settings. Although 'girlish' in this stage of her career, it is a collage of disparate sources she has used throughout her entire body of work. The finest piece in this style has to be the cover of Court and Spark. As a novice artist, she clearly did not understand form. Her more complex visual undertakings are a confusion of color and line. When she does begin to paint form, often using markers as an easy 'in' to working with color, it is in a linear fashion. In the best early pieces, bold dark line are filled in with washes of color, very similar to Picasso's biomorphic cubist style: Brilliant, high key pastels set in cloisonné to decorative Matisse like dark, bold outlines. Of course no one more perfectly describes Joni's nature and character than Picasso, her first love and greatest influence in her arts. The man was a caldron of change. One style is mastered, only to be overthrown by urgent questioning and experimentation. He works from the gut and heart. He forsakes the ease of the viewer and commercial considerations because his heart knows repetition without examination is death. More than any artist of our almost completed century, he represents the person giving his soul over to the muse, following it where ever and to what ever end it may lead him. Joan to a 't.' He leads the viewer into the joy of painting in the present, into the modern, without copying, but with a definite eye to the past: borrowing themes, ideas, and styles to suit his purpose: early grecian and roman sculpture, El Greco, primitive spanish and african artifacts, Manet, are all synthesized in one way or another. The whole of her musical and painterly exploration is modeled after the man. The woman is an ornery bull headed romantic. Her use of white as a 'color' on the palette, her wet into wet alla prima style, the over painting of works to 'find' a composition through discovery rather than reason, all are Picassoesque. This is the first surprising revelation her painting brought to me: Joni relies more on the intuitive than reason in producing her arts. I would never have thought that. When I heard Hejira for the millionth time, I was so overwhelmed by the overwhelming refinement of her poetry and music that I thought, " The woman must be an intellectual snob of the ninth degree." A musical Steven Hawking of sorts. Like Prince, I would have hit the floor if I heard her say , "I was more tireder." as she related in one of her colorful stories. Joni? Tireder??? What's up with that? God, was I off base. The woman has a heart, a soul, and spirit that shines like a billion watt bulb through her work. It is the motivating force at the beginning of a song or painting, and I am sure, the final arbiter at the end. Which actually makes her 'intellect' all the more remarkable to me: She reasons on such a high level of craftsmanship: Her poetry flows with perfect ease. She practically speaks her songs. There are no stiff or awkward rhymes. Her rhymes and slant rhymes are the finest song poetry ever done, ever, by any human being. Whether its twenty syllables to the beat, or simply one, her poetry is unmatched. She has in a way ruined me for almost all others. I get so easily bored with the thematic simplicity of so much popular music!!! And this poetic intellect is put to the service of one thing: to tell a story with feeling, with as much visual imagery and emotional honesty as possible. Sometimes the story is autobiographical. Sometimes the story is a portrait of an experience, or experiences culled into a single musical painting. But always she relies upon her heart and intellect to only 'do' the story, if there is a richness to it on both levels. The amazing and remarkable thing Joan is, how often you have succeeded. She has always preferred narrative arts. I think this is why she shows suspicion towards abstract expressionism and poetry. Simply put, the girl loves to get into a good story. Everything is driven by either the intuitive, or narrative, or the emotional. Her tunings are colors discovered and used for their ability to paint imagery and feelings. Scrap theory, jazz chord movement, et. al. She is working from the inspired heart here. Her paint is used in the same manner. Colors are fused and set against each other in a dazzling array to create a visual mood or setting. Although there are traditions of painting and rules of painting evident in her work, she arrives at those 'same truths' not by following theory but by her keen eye motivated by her intuitive emotion. - --It is this 'thrill of discovery' that she mentioned in an interview by Anthony Fawcett in a photo illustrated book he published entitled CALIFORNIA ROCK, CALIFORNIA SOUND. ISBN 0-89169-506-0. If you have not seen this one, I recommend it highly. It was published around the release of Paprika Plains and the early stages of Mingus. Sixteen pages are devoted to Joni. The interview is revealing and the photos, many famous shots most here are familiar with, but still gorgeous to have here as a set. I love the shot of her in the (nevada?) desert in a sheer blue dress, looking as beautiful and radiant as her FTR era pictures. There have been some DJRD threads the last few days so please forgive me quoting what may be familiar territory, but I thought her words may be insightful to those who have not read them: "In the meantime, since I have been playing with more masterful players, that is to say true artists who don't think in terms of commercial consideration, who just play gut level and that's it, it's an entirely different experience. And since I began to play with them, I mean as a singer, I feel I'm a much better singer than last year than I was the year before, I'm five or six times better as a singer this year for the work that I'm doing on Charlie's (Mingus) music. You know, I can go almost anywhere that my range will take me; my pitch has improved, my confidence has improved-- I really feel free now as a singer. But I still don't have my facility on any instrument. They're, to me, just tools for setting up a reference for my voice to float on. I'll probably never master those instruments although there is a growth. The guitar, especially, is growing. The piano- all of a sudden I went through a breakthrough period last year where I sat down and off the top of my head, I couldn't play anything wrong. What I mean by that is that if I hit what would be called a wrong note, a dissonance- I would repeat it and it would sound fantastic-- like where a dissonance was simply another statement and was not a wrong note. You know, lay on it; you hit a dissonance- well lay on it.!" And in regards to Paprika Plains... "Oh! A lot of shuffling went on, " Joni confirms. "There were Indian grass chants in the middle of it, there were a hundred and one different ways that I approached that. More so than anything else on the album. The instrumental passage in the middle just poured out. It was the most experimental and bewildering piece, but it was always moving forward, always changing, much in the same way that Picasso paints- all of a sudden he would have the painting beautifully balanced and he would decide to block out something over here, so he would change it, and now his balance is thrown out; this area is beautiful but it has to go in order to balance it. When he finishes it there would be onlookers who would say, 'I liked it better the way it was before.' But he's always working towards his own satisfaction, that's his criteria." My guess is that the 'bumpy' flesh Kakki (?) mentioned on one of Joni's paintings in the LACE exhibit, is the result of Joni removing one worked area of the painting and replacing it with the 'new' narrative inspiration. The Fawcett piece includes a very revealing discussion of a large, large canvas of Joni floating in a moon lit sky over a patch of city lights. Very cool. I recommend a net search for this book. And if anyone finds a copy or two order one for me. Mine is so dog eared it is a mass of loose pages. I would go on, but this is getting a bit long... Maybe I will pick it up again. Or better, rewrite as to be more articulate on the subject. Again thanks to all. Especially the gift of tapes and cd's. You know who you are!!!! An early merry christmas. And let's talk more about the painting/music connections in her work. Chords=Paint=Mood=Colors? Joan, I love you with a passion. john. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 03:29:28 EST From: JRMCo1@aol.com Subject: Re: Holiday films: Capote << The Capote film about the fruitcake-making, I know as a book, called 'A Christmas Memory'. I didn't know there was a film, or if it's so called. >> Bingo! Thanks for the memories, Chuck. The film is quite splendid. I'm going after the book tomorrow. Here's a heart-warming anecdote from a customer review on Amazon: <<*****(5 stars) Perfection. A treasure, especially for Southerners. Reviewer: A reader from Rochester, New York November 25, 1998 Before I read the text of Capote's masterpiece, I saw the 1967 television production with Geraldine Page and literally fell in love with it. Long before the short story was adapted by many literature anthologies, I read it aloud to my students between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In fact, I had my freshmen students write letters to Mr. Capote in 1977. We were very surprised to receive a postcard of thanks from him in his distinctive, delicate script. The card is a treasure of mine to this day. Now that I have left the classroom, I take out the story and read it aloud to myself at this time of year. It is a gem. I have yet to read it without tears in my eyes when I finish. No piece of literature has ever affected me quite the way "A Christmas Memory" has. I can't imagine any Southerner reading it and not understanding the era and locale and the mystique of "fruitcake weather." > - -Julius ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 00:45:25 -0800 (PST) From: zapuppy2@webtv.net (Penny) Subject: Re: A mind is a terrible thing to waste Kakki dear, <> Ummm Kakki, the camel toes nickname post was sent as an obvious joke. ;-D <> *Does* she, or is it just *did* she? That article, which I can't presently find in my lost scrapbook of all things Joni, went on to say she had the property up for sale at that time. $2.3 is the figure that comes to my head, if that'll help put a date on that particular storm. I think the press relayed that to assess how much monetary damage had been done by the Pacific. That's why I didn't know until you said you saw some photos of her taken there, if she had ever lived there or not. Since I can't find all the info, I've got an idea. Dyan Cannon's house was also getting ripped on by the waves at that same time, saw the actual footage on the news of waves lapping over her pool and into the front of DC's house. How about you take a break from the music scene for a night, go to a Laker game and ask Dyan about the when of that storm. ;-) (Who are really on a tear, since even before Kobe got off the IR. Sucks to be us, huh Les?) Penny PS Congrats on your Suns win in Portland tonight, Les. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Grace dies when it becomes us verses them......Philip Yancey ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 00:52:05 -0800 (PST) From: zapuppy2@webtv.net (Penny) Subject: Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM <> Does KCSN have a website? If they're like KINK, they may have a transcript of the interview on their site after it airs. Just a thought. Penny :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Grace dies when it becomes us verses them......Philip Yancey ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 06:08:21 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: RE: Solstice Moon (NJC) wow julius! i loved this piece of information!!! it'll be the last capricorn full moon too, exactly 5 days before my birthday. i'll be supercharged!!!!!! wallyk > Yes indeed, don't miss the Solstice Moon, folks! Behold: > > December 22 > Winter solstice is at 2:44 a.m. EST > The moon is at perigee (221,614 miles from Earth), 5:55 a.m. EST > Full moon is at 12:31 p.m. EST> > > -Julius ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 03:27:55 -0500 From: Richard Rice Subject: Re: Gestural Biomorphic Abstraction. Hi gang, me again... Regarding that gestural biomorphic abstraction thing... I should be better at answering this (hard information) rather than the vacuities I will offer up, but the answer, simply put is, look at a painting, almost any painting by Arshile (sp?) Gorky. Can't find a better example of gestural biomorphic abstraction than that. He was sort of a stepping stone to the well spring that became Modern American Abstract art that put New York on the map as the center of the art world. The early abstractionists fleeing Europe (somehow it is the art minded who see what is happening in the culture first, I think.) settled into a difficult work environment in New York. But their fresh ideas about art inspired a lot of impressionable youth. In a search for a 'modern' art, realism was being rejected by many. For the artist to 'make gestures' on the canvas was a way to tap into his unconscious and produce an art that was thought to be 'truer' to his time and soul than imitating the impressionists or god forbid, the classical 'brown under painting' school of art. Definitely, 'old school.' It was an attitude towards art that drew heavily from the mind set of the Surrealists. Some artists drawn to the new, unencumbered abstraction relied upon straight lines and geometry. While others, like Gorky, preferred to make gestures that had organic, biomorphic type shapes. These shapes, drawn from an unconscious response of, to 'nature' were thought to be pure of heart in their invention, or so it was thought. The fact that many of these artists worked together under several WPA type projects back then to keep themselves alive, allowed them to share their thoughts and begin to produce an somewhat shared attitude towards picture making that would be expanded upon by the younger pups like DeKooning and Jackson Pollack. William DeKoonings early abstractions were also gestural biomorphics, swiped straight off of Gorky's palette. It was Pollock who extended this idea of reaching into the subconscious for a means into honest subject matter by his readings on the subject of 'automatic' writing' as well as investigating the spirituality of indian art. The idea being if you stop using logic, the unconscious is freed to express itself. So he dropped the bridge that the immigrant europeans built and began to write ( read: drip ) the paint onto his canvas. Add a spot of the capitalism, the 'urge for the new!new!new!' and you have ta da, Abstract Expressionism. --Now what Gorky's gestural biomorphic art has to do with Joni, I don't know. Haven't seen the show. Perhaps all the squiggly brushwork, perhaps? I chalk that up to her Van Gogh, Impressionists leanings. Which is where much of her style draws from these days. The "Picasso" whites of her earlier period is replaced by the refracted colors of the impressionists. --Will there be a 'brown under painting' period? Stay tuned. Only Joni knows for sure... john. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 06:32:08 -0500 From: "Lisa Peakes" Subject: Re: the Joni Mitchell Companion <> Hope you didn't have to clean up! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 08:15:33 EST From: Dmascall@aol.com Subject: Joni companion - when, where etc.... Dear Evian I used to work in the UK book information business and can tell you that the conflicting info you've found on the Joni companion is completely infuriating but sadly very typical. I'm assuming here that UK publishing and US pulishing work in the same way. Can't check on the info online at this moment but I suggest the following: If a book isn't available from major retailer, and has passed its release date something is wrong - and if the release date is this time of year don't hold out much hope of it arriving before christmas. Books are usually shipped to retailers as soon as they are available and are put on sale as soon as possible - the release date is a convenient fiction. The people who really know about availability are the trade distributors - and I can't tell you who Schirmer's distributors are in the USA. Perhaps a US lister with book trade links can advise - I recall someone from Borders listing a while back. Also, the publisher could possibly be holding it back for release at the same time as the Joni covers album - to get the benefit of increased media coverage (call me a cynic and you'd be right ). David Mascall ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:22:11 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Cassandra Wilson (JC Now) Terry wonders: << Until I heard a song on NPR that just blew me away. It's on her new Miles tribute album that's either out now or on it's way. Does anyone know anything about it? >> Terry, this would be from "Traveling Miles", her latest record which came out this spring. Got all good reviews, I've delayed in picking it up, so maybe it'll pop up on BMG and I can snag it for 7$ or so. I've got her two previous discs and enjoy them a lot, although I don't care for her treatment of "Black Crow". Getting back to what Jody was talking about earlier, there's a load of difference between "covers" and "interpretations/renditions", I think. Unless I'm mistaken, the phrase "cover" was used in the days of radio in the late 50's, where the best records of the time were the "race" records, which would never have been played on the white radio stations. So what you got was a spate of white-bread singers who would cover or duplicate the black records for white radio, sort of "sanitized for your protection" like the hotel toilets, which is where a lot of those whitebread records should go - in the toilet! Pat Boone rose to fame covering Fats Domino records, The Crew Cuts and The McGuire Sisters also made a good living doing it. So the phrase "covers" is not very complimentary in my book. However, there is a definite place for the Holly Coles and Cassandras of this world (Cassandra writes as well). To be able to re-interpret a song and bring some new colors to it is an art form unto itself. That's another reason why I'm so fired up to hear Joni's new project - being the artist she is, she's going to re-invent all these standards (her own included) in a new and exciting way. I do hope Ken or whoever can snag the radio interview and songs for us. Thanks for the heads up on that, Les - you ROCK as usual! :~) Bob NP: Counting Crows, "I Wish I was a Girl" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:28:42 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: A search for clarity. (Long!) Boy, John, this piece you wrote was SO excellent! It was a special treat after finding NOTHING in the paper worth reading this morning (the usual last-minute holiday rush stuff). As far as I am concerned, it wasn't long ENOUGH! Thanks too for transcribing the dialogue from the art book - I hang on every word that Joni says, I really get into interviews of hers, and it's amazing how her artistic vision has remained so consistent through the years...what I mean by that is that in her interviews I've heard from '67 on, she doesn't seem to contradict herself very much. And of course, I'm STILL glowing from the magical weekend Wally and Jim enjoyed with her... Bob NP: Ben Folds Five, "Narcolepsy" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:39:29 EST From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Grover Washington Jr. (NJC) I just heard on the news that Grover Washington Jr. just died. I am deeply saddened by this loss to the music world. He was responsible for my love of jazz. I first heard one of his LP's when I graduated from high school, and fell in love with the sound of his saxophone. I will truly miss this great musician. Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:21:13 -0600 From: Mark Domyancich Subject: Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM KCSN has their own web site at: http://www.kcsn.org , unfortunately it's under construction so I doubt that a RealCrappyPlayer link will be up by then. Damn. Remember the Morning Becomes Eclectic fiasco in March of '98? :-D Mark NP-Dave Matthews Band-Two Step At 9:41 PM -0700 12/17/99, Les Irvin wrote: >Joniphiles - >I received this message tonight: > >>From: "Laurence Cohen" >>Subject: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM >>Tuesday, 12/21 from noon to 1:00pm in Los Angeles >> >>Joni talks about her exhibition of paintings currrently running at LACE in >>Los Angeles. New tracks from her upcoming CD "Both SIdes Now" will have >>their world premiere. Spread the word. > >Ok... who's going to tape it for the rest of us???? >Les ___________________________________ | Mark Domyancich | | Harpua@revealed.net | | http://home.revealed.net/Harpua | | ICQ: 21619464 | |_________________________________| ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 11:27:36 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Grover Washington Jr. (NJC) In a message dated 12/18/99 9:45:19 AM US Central Standard Time, FMYFL@aol.com writes: << He was responsible for my love of jazz. >> He was indeed quite excellent, Jimmy. The combo of his sax and Bill Wither's voice on "Just the Two of Us" was perfection. Bob NP: Ray Brown Trio, "Let It Snow" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 10:32:30 -0600 From: evian Subject: They're Cutting Down Trees (NJC) Penny, that woman with the real tree, wrote: > It occurred to me that I am the only person I know here who has a real > tree--all the neighbors and even my relatives who live here have fake > trees. > Well, this is going to sound odd since all my life I have lived either a stone's throw from the mountains or right here in the heart of the northern Saskatchewan forest, but I have NEVER had a real tree. Supposedly, I hear through the sister grapevine, my parents always had real trees, but then after I was born in '70, the whole fake tree thing was really fashionable, and my parents never went back to the real thing. Now that I am adult, I just have never had the urge to go get a real one, even though you can get big-ass trees from 20 bucks, or simply can sneak off into the woods and grab your own. I just hate the mess of real trees, I couldn't handle all the needles, since I am kinda sorta a compulsive neat freak who rivals Jerry Seinfeld for neurotic house cleanliness (Well, not today, you should see this disaster area/dump commonly known as my basement). Anyway, we bought a nice fake tree last year on Boxing Day for $100 off, and ended up with this huge monster of a tree for 40 bucks... and looks more real than a real tree -- seriously, my cat climbs it and sits in the branches. But, yeah, I admit, the smell of a real tree is nice... However, since I am a candle freak as well, I just light a couple of pine candles, and viola! Kakki also threw in: > Most of my family and friends here gave up a few years ago > and now decorate their indoor Ficus trees > There is no way I could do that with the Ficus I have in my basement... I either overwatered this summer, or it caught a draft from the window in the fall, but it lost most of it's leaves but refused to die totally. So, basically, I have the big fake tree down here, and then the Charlie Brown Ficus in the corner, 6 ft. tall with 50 leaves, ugly as sin, but will probably live longer than Zza Zza Gabor so I can't throw it out. Geez, can you tell I feel like a Chatty Cathy this morning (is there a male equivalent to the Chatty Cathy doll, btw?)Evian ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 11:58:38 EST From: Siresorrow@aol.com Subject: Titanium White Turbulent Indigo I don't paint, but I think I saw the real colors on Friday morning around 6:00am. At least what they sound like to me by their names. I woke up early and went for a run around 5:30. I came on a tidal stream around mid-tide. The ocean is about 6 miles due east and the sky was very black/blue. Deep. Then, in the center of the horizon was a brilliant white that had no yellow. My guess was that the sun was crowning the horizon on the ocean, but still held the yellow below the surface. Just one of those moments. The pure white in contrast to the black/blue sky. Then the greens from the pine trees blended in. But it was so dark, it seemed less green,,,, than just not black or blue. In other words, a negative image of a color other than what was appearant and only because I know they are green, I can lable it. But it was something I have never seen. The whole experience appeared like the colors of TI. It made me hungry for more. pat ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 12:13:02 EST From: CaTGirl627@aol.com Subject: Re: the Joni Mitchell Companion NJC In a message dated 12/18/1999 2:56:03 AM Eastern Standard Time, JRMCo1@aol.com writes: << said "uhhh... we have that Joni Mitchell biography..." so basically, I am shit out of luck unless I find it online. Btw, I just realized I am swearing like a sailor, but forgive me... I braved the crowds today, and after dragging a cart with a broken wheel all around Costco this afternoon (the place was so crowded I basically had to park in a different time zone), I realized the 4000 lb bag of cat litter I had in my cart had a tear in it and I ended up leaving a lovely mess down the frozen food aisle). I wish I had a River... Evian >> >> To Funny Evian, If you go to Barnesandnoble.com they have the book. If you type in COSHARE in the gift area you will get $10.00 off!!! I ordered mione a few weeks agao. I think I will go now and check on the status!! Good luck!! BTW, I also just started ordering kitty litter on line. I got 120 lbs of catlitter at $11.99 for each 40 lb box and shipping for everything was $4.95. That also came with a free 20 lb bag of catfood!!! WHOO-HOO Catgirl ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 11:22:53 -0600 (CST) From: michael w yarbrough Subject: Re: Cassandra Wilson (NJC Now) Cassandra's new record, _Travelling Miles_, is my record-of-the-year so far, hands down. It's so all-over-the-map stylistically but coherent, and imbued with the spirit of Miles but without using any horns (save one). The duet w/ Angelique Kidjo, the Cyndi Lauper cover, "Seven Steps"--so many good songs. Her writing really comes into its own on this album, and stands sturdily alongside Miles's stuff. Get it. - --Michael NP: Mary J. Blige, "Let No Man Put Asunder" remix - ----------------------------------------------------------- "I'm not ready to change my name again... I'd just like to see you sometime." - --Joni Mitchell, "See You Sometime" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 12:24:27 CST From: "Music Is Special" Subject: Answer re. Rick Danko offer I believe the answer is: On New Year's Eve of 1983 (12-31-83) Rick Danko performed Goodnight Irene with the Dead at San Francisco Civic, San Francisco, CA ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 12:26:46 CST From: "Music Is Special" Subject: * Joni in ICE Howdy everybody, been real busy so have not had a chance to read every message. Maybe this was posted but I didn't see it: the current issue of ICE has a half page article and description of the new CD. They interviewed Larry Klein for it. Cheers, Eric (Postel) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 18:55:24 +0000 From: catman Subject: Re: They're Cutting Down Trees (NJC) We haven't had a tree for years cos of the cats! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 18:56:51 +0000 From: catman Subject: 1000 Just saw a book called Encyclopeadia of Music-Best 100 albums ever. Joni was listed 4 times for Blue, Court & Spark, HOSL and Hejira. Carly once for No Secrets. - -- "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 12:36:38 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Joni Mitchell interview on KCSN 88.5FM (logistical problems) Boo hoo - Ken informs me that KCSN is a small power college station broadcasting from Cal State Northridge and he cannot pick up the signal. I just checked my system and I can't pick it up, either. Any listmembers in the Valley who may be able to get it? If not, I'm going to check into a professional service who may be able to tape it or start doing some schmoozing with an old boyfriend who lives a mile from CSN (the college, not the band ;-) Helpessly hoping, Kakki NP: Calypso Christmas ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 13:00:48 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Washed away by the waves at Malibu Penny asked about Joni's Malibu house: > *Does* she, or is it just *did* she? That article, which I can't > presently find in my lost scrapbook of all things Joni, went on to say > she had the property up for sale at that time. $2.3 is the figure that > comes to my head, if that'll help put a date on that particular storm. > I think the press relayed that to assess how much monetary damage had > been done by the Pacific. I don't know if she still has the house or not. The two really major storms we had here were in the winters of 1983 and 1988. They were almost apocalyptic in scale. The ones we had in '83 took out all the beaches and piers for about 100 miles up and down the coast. the one in '88 took out whatever was left. I remember *weeks* of 35-40 ft. waves at the beach. The Diltz photos look like they were taken sometime in the 80s (based on Joni's haristyle ;-) but I'm not sure. On one hand, I feel bad if she still doesn't have the beach house, but on the other hand she would probably be wise to unload it. The costs of maintaining any kind of structure in Malibu is stratospheric because of the various disasters that seem to happen there every year. The insurance premiums alone must be exorbitant - if you can even get insurance for that area anymore. On another note, I am currently buried in work, Christmas, home and stuff and running around madly and I owe some of you emails that I will get to as soon as I can. I also still want to post about the wonderful and fantastic Aimee Mann/Michael Penn and Otmaro Ruiz shows I caught this week. They were both mindblowing. Have to run - be back when I resurface! ;-D Kakki NP: Otmaro - Peace ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 16:07:05 EST From: CaTGirl627@aol.com Subject: Re: They're Cutting Down Trees (NJC) In a message dated 12/18/1999 2:00:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, catman@ethericcats.demon.co.uk writes: << We haven't had a tree for years cos of the cats! I havent' for years myslef cause of the kitties. I tried my fake tree one year and it always ended up on the floor. I will say that I think people should get live trees whenever possible. Here is my rationale.... \If we all buy live tree there is then a market for open space for live trees to be grown. that way open space is saved. If we all bought fake trees and the need for live trees deminished then that land would be sold to developers and no more open space. I always hated the idea of cutting down tons of trees just to display for a few weeks but knowing that land will stay open space makes it worth while! Catgirl NP-Long time coming -CSN awesome version Hellen!! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 13:19:43 -0800 From: Randy Remote Subject: Who taught Joni guitar? Well, according to Shawn Phillips (and this is likely to stir up some controversy,) he did. Singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips made a string of albums culminating in near stardom in the 1970's, but his carreer never quite reached critical mass. The Jan 2000 issue of the record collecting magazine DISCOVERIES had a feature article and interview with him. Here's an excerpt: (all the JC there was) PHILLIPS: I'd been performing in California, New York-I'd been doing gigs for quite some time. I was in New York with Tim Hardin, and then we traveled out to California. During that time I was getting gigs in all kinds of places, the Midwest, Toronto. I spent some time with Joni Mitchell there when she was just getting started. DISCOVERIES: Did you perform with her? PHILLIPS: No, she wasn't performing then, but I taught her how to play guitar. I was playing in Saskatchewan, at a place called the Louie Reo Coffee House, where she was working as a waitress. I was playing my red twelve-string at that time, and she said, "Can you give me some guitar lessons?" So I gave her a few lessons, taught her a few things. DISCOVERIES: How did you discover the sitar......... "This entire industry is made up of nothing but charlatans and thieves." - Shawn Phillips ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 21:41:44 +0000 From: catman Subject: Re: 1000 catman wrote: > Just saw a book called Encyclopeadia of Music-Best 100 this should read best 1000 > albums ever. Joni > was listed 4 times for Blue, Court & Spark, HOSL and Hejira. > Carly once for No Secrets. > > -- > "It is better to be hated for what you are > than to be loved for what you are not." - -- "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 17:37:21 EST From: Ginamu@aol.com Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V4 #566 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 18:16:20 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Who taught Joni guitar? In a message dated 12/18/99 3:26:30 PM US Central Standard Time, guitarzan@saber.net writes: << Well, according to Shawn Phillips (and this is likely to stir up some controversy,) he did. >> According to Joni, Eric Anderson showed her alternative tunings, and then she was off and running. This is not to dispute Shawn's claim, Joni absorbs so much from everything, there are probably lots of folks that say they "influenced" or taught her... Thirty years later, she's eons ahead of everyone... Bob NP: Becker/Fagen, "Any World That I'm Welcome To" (Demo) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 18:22:26 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Cassandra Wilson (NJC Now) In a message dated 12/18/99 11:28:39 AM US Central Standard Time, mwyarbro@midway.uchicago.edu writes: << Her writing really comes into its own on this album, and stands sturdily alongside Miles's stuff. Get it. >> Well Michael, since you're on a roll with the Me'shell and Roots tips, I'll go pick it up. But I fear you're not getting enough white-boy music in your musical diet! ;~D Bob ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 23:04:19 -0500 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: NJC: " RUN DEVIL RUN " update Paul McCartney's new album, "Run Devil Run" is named for a herbal concoction bought to rid oneself of Satan. This reckless and fast and loud. I thought that I had outgrown loud music. I love this album. It doesn't sound like the Beatles and it doesn't sound like Pink Floyd. It's as if they have formed something altogether new, like the Wilbuys had their own sound. It's a retro-sound but it's retro with the humor that only comes with reflection, like in the movie "Pleasantville". All the best, Jim Lamadoo in Suburban Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 23:19:57 -0500 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: 100% JC Just the other day I was thinking about how Joni hired Wayne Shorter to play sax. Joni described how, at the end of the session, he goes, "Okay Joan! Now- Sculpt!" She describes creating the right setting, basically arranging by ear. It seems to me that she sets up the piano solo on "Harry's House / Centerpiece" in this same way. She brings the audience into the solo with a tension that flows right into the tension in the solo. (Am I making sense here Mr. Lamm?) Sue McNamara said, > I also love Harry's House/Centerpiece. > Joe Sample's piano solo is amazing. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 23:39:00 -0700 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com (by way of Les Irvin ) Subject: Yet More Joni in the latest Rolling Stone Hey Gang, I was just at the Grease Monkey getting my oil changed (does anybody out there change their own oil?), when I found another "Hidden" Joni pic...In the middle of the magazine, there's a swing-out double gatefold with drawings of a lot of the celebs that they've profiled with quotes from them. Joni is pouring herself a glass of wine (German, I suppose) and saying "I need more discipline. I'm a matriarch now". It's actually a very good drawing, it portrays her warm smile quite well. I'm sending it to Les direct if he wants to put it up somewhere, anybody else who wants a scan of it. let me know... Bob NP: XTC, "I Can't Own Her" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 23:44:04 -0700 From: Les Irvin Subject: Re: Yet More Joni in the latest Rolling Stone At 12/18/1999 09:49 AM , SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: >I'm sending it to Les direct if he wants to put it up somewhere, anybody else >who wants a scan of it. let me know... Thanks Bob, check it out at: http://www.jmdl.com/99rs.jpg Les NP: Natalie Merchant live "Carnival" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 00:53:30 -0600 From: evian Subject: calling all music sluts (njc) Hey Listers, Since the list is sorta slow, and since I am housebound tonight because of the 4 million feet of snow coming down, I thought this would be a good opportunity to pick your brains about a few cheesy songs that I love. First off, can someone confirm I didn't imagine this one -- does ANYONE remember a song from the late 80's or so, called, "Motortown" by the Kane Gang???? I can't find it anywhere, and I am almost to the point of thinking that I made it up or something....lol.... Also, does anyone remember a song from around the same time called "Let Me In"? I thought it was by Nick Gilder, but now that I think of it, it really doesn't sound like Nick Gilder. And does anyone know who did the vocals on the minor Sergio Mendes hit from about 1983 or so called "Alibis"? Ok, now one more... I even asked Bob the slut about this one once, and he didn't know it, so I am assuming it might have been a Canadian song. It's from sometime in the 70's, and I know it is called (or I think it is called) "Some Sing, Some Dance" or something, and I always hear it on AM radio, but I can never figure out who sings it... it sounds like Pagliaro or something. LOL, if I could just sing it for you, I am sure the Canadians would know what I am talking about. Anyway, I am just sorta going down memory lane tonight and trying to find old songs that I love on cd, but these ones stump me. Evian np: Stevie Wonder -- "Love Light in Flight" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Dec 99 5:17:00 PM From: john low Subject: Seasonal Films & Happy Christmas Jmdlers!! My favourite Christmas film is an Australian one called “Bush Christmas”. It was made in 1947 and starred one of our most popular local actors, Chips Rafferty (now sadly deceased). It’s a great little story of a group of bush children who set out to thwart some horse thieves. Though I suppose only my fellow countryman in the jmdl will have seen it, the film was remade in 1983 and one of the children in this later version was played by none other than Mrs. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman! Perhaps I am getting in a little early, but I’d like to wish all jmdlers (posters and lurkers alike) a very happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year and thank you all for making this such an interesting and absorbing place to reside on the net. This time last year I had no idea this community existed. Early in 1999 I attended a seminar for librarians on the use of the internet and was introduced to “discussion lists”. Later, reading over the notes we were given, I decided that the only way I would learn about them was to join one. So, I typed “Joni Mitchell” into the search engine and … the rest is history. I have certainly learnt heaps about discussion lists but, more importantly, I have met so many friendly, interesting and generous people from whom I have received friendship, ideas and music. And, it has not always been a ‘virtual’ experience. It was great to connect with Ashara and her boys while they were in Sydney and to meet Ange and Nicholas at the same time. That meeting gave us Sydney jmdlers something of a personal connection to the subsequent ‘fun and games’ at Topsfield Mass. (I have just received, courtesy of the SCJoniGuy, a CD with some of the wonderful music created there.) Anyway, what I am trying to say is simply THANKS – to all of you! When I decided to subscribe I didn’t expect to hang around too long. Now I don’t want to leave. And special thanks, of course, to Les and Wally who make this whole Joni Mitchell internet experience possible. HAPPY CHRISTMAS JMDLERS!!! John (in Sydney). __________________________________________________________________ Get your free Australian email account at http://www.start.com.au/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 02:11:10 -0500 From: "Ken (Slarty)" Subject: Re: Who taught Joni guitar? Richie Havens also claims to have helped Joni work out some of her tunnings when he stayed with her. I always wondered if Song For Richard might have been about him and not as some claim about Chuck Mitchell. SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > > According to Joni, Eric Anderson showed her alternative tunings, and then she > was off and running. This is not to dispute Shawn's claim, Joni absorbs so > much from everything, there are probably lots of folks that say they > "influenced" or taught her... ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V4 #567 ************************** The Song and Album Voting Booths are open! Cast your votes by clicking the links at http://www.jmdl.com/gallery username: jimdle password: siquomb ------- Don't forget about these ongoing projects: Glossary project: Send a blank message to for all the details. FAQ Project: Help compile the JMDL FAQ. 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